SECTION 1 — THE SALVATION STANDARD (TRAINING EXPLANATIONS)

1-A — Mission, Vision & Core Values

At Salvation, clients are not just buying a tattoo or piercing — they are trusting us with their body, their time, and their comfort.

Our culture is built around elevating the entire experience from start to finish. The standard begins the moment a client walks in the door.

We aim to make a strong first impression within the first 10 seconds through real presence, professionalism, and kindness — not hype.

Client comfort comes before profit. If a client shows discomfort, confusion, frustration, or dissatisfaction, we slow down, listen, and correct the experience immediately.

This is the Salvation standard, and it is not optional. We build long-term trust first — success follows.

Key standards:

·         Respect First — patience, etiquette, professionalism.

·         Comfort Over Ego — never rush or dismiss concerns.

·         Experience Over Sales — money comes second.

·         Accountability — own mistakes and fix them immediately.

·         Consistency — every location, every team member, every client, same standard.

1-B — Customer Service Philosophy

Many clients walk into tattoo and piercing shops already nervous — not only about pain, but about being judged, brushed off, or made uncomfortable.

Salvation exists to break that pattern. How we speak, listen, and carry ourselves is as important as the quality of our work.

Manners are not a ‘nice extra’ — they are a competitive advantage. Clients immediately feel attitude before they can judge skill.

Within seconds, a client decides if they feel safe, respected, and able to trust us. When clients relax, trust increases; when trust increases, loyalty follows.

We choose to slow down when needed, listen more than we speak, reassure rather than pressure, and educate rather than ‘sell’.

Key standards:

·         Confidence without ego.

·         Education without arrogance.

·         Professionalism without coldness.

·         Calm tone even when busy.

·         Leave every client feeling respected, appreciated, understood, and confident.

1-C — Atmosphere & Vibe Standards (Dress Code + Music)

Our atmosphere communicates professionalism and trust. A structured, consistent look helps clients feel assured they are in the hands of dedicated professionals.

Dress Code: If not wearing a company logo shirt, staff must wear all-black attire (tops, bottoms, shoes, and visible outerwear).

If wearing a company logo shirt, it must be clean and presentable and paired with professional attire (example: black pants or skirt).

Clothing must be professional and free of rips, tears, or excessive designs.

Shoes must be closed-toe, clean, and in the all-black theme. No Crocs. No sandals.

Music Protocol: Music must support a calm, creative, inclusive environment and appeal to a broad audience. Avoid music that leans heavily into any one genre (heavy rock, hip hop, country).

Volume must allow conversation; explicit lyrics/themes are not allowed. All locations should strive for a consistent Salvation vibe.

Key standards:

·         All-black attire standard (unless logo shirt).

·         Closed-toe shoes; no Crocs/sandals.

·         Neutral, clean music; moderate volume; no explicit content.

·         Consistency across locations.

1-D — Sales & Artist Interaction Structure

At Salvation, sales is not ‘order-taking.’ The goal is to listen, understand the full idea, and help the client arrive at a meaningful design that fits their story.

The manager/salesperson is responsible for determining the most suitable artist for the client’s tattoo based on the piece.

We spare the client from repeating themselves multiple times by gathering clear details first, then pairing them correctly.

Managers facilitate the interaction between client and artist to ensure a seamless, high-quality experience.

Pricing discussions for tattoos or piercings are always facilitated by the manager/salesperson to ensure transparency and standardization. Artists do not quote pricing on their own.

When the artist/piercer joins the conversation, they must uphold Salvation customer service: professional greeting, warm demeanor, and strong listening.

If a request is impractical or impossible, communicate respectfully with sincere apology and a clear explanation.

Key standards:

·         Salesperson/manager controls pricing discussion.

·         Best artist-match responsibility.

·         Professional greeting + listening standards for artists/piercers.

·         Respectful limitation-setting when needed.

1-E — In-Person Greeting & Interaction

The first 10 seconds matter. The expectation is a warm greeting with eye contact, a smile, and a confident tone.

Use a professional welcome such as: “Welcome to Salvation Tattoo! How can we help you today?” or “Are you here for a tattoo or a piercing today?”

For walk-ins: confirm we take walk-ins, then ask a few quick questions (what, where on the body, first time, reference photo) and communicate you will check availability.

For appointments: confirm the name, check them in, and reassure them they are in the right place.

Set expectations with wait times honestly and reassure the client they will be kept updated.

Use appreciation language frequently: thank them for coming, choosing us, reassure they are in good hands, and emphasize comfort.

If a client shows discomfort/confusion/unhappiness: acknowledge, reassure, solve with comfort-first (adjust size/placement/jewelry), and escalate to manager if needed.

Required attitude: no rushing, no sarcasm, no cold tone, no arguing. Calm, respectful, attentive, professional.

Key standards:

·         10-second greeting standard.

·         Walk-in vs appointment flow.

·         Clear wait-time expectations + updates.

·         Discomfort protocol: Acknowledge → Reassure → Solve → Escalate.

·         Non-negotiable attitude standards.

1-F — Phone Communication Standards

Phone etiquette must match the in-person standard: confident tone, patience, and care.

Use a greeting such as: “Hello, you’ve reached Salvation Tattoo! How can we help you today?”

Clarify whether the call is about an existing appointment or making/inquiring about one.

Ask a few quick questions to help properly: what they want, where on the body, first time, reference photo.

Confirm you will check availability and get them ‘penned in’ and taken care of.

Use appreciation language: thank them for reaching out/choosing us; reinforce comfort-first messaging.

Key standards:

·         Professional greeting + confident tone.

·         Appointment vs inquiry clarification.

·         Structured question flow.

·         Appreciation and comfort language.

1-G — Deposits, Age & Cancellation Policies

Tattoo deposits are required; piercings do not require deposits.

Deposit tiers are based on the tattoo price: $25 deposit for anything $100 or under, $50 for anything $500 or under, and $100 for anything over $500.

Deposits apply toward the final tattoo price.

Deposits are non-refundable with no exceptions.

A client no-show is defined as not showing up at all (late does not count; rescheduling does not count).

If a client no-shows, they lose the deposit and must pay a new deposit for a future appointment.

Age rules: Tattoos are 18+, or 16 with parental consent. Piercings are 18+, or 16 with parental consent. Free lobe piercings are allowed at all ages with parental consent.

For minors (16–17), the parent does not need to stay if the minor brings a notarized parental consent form signed by the parent and notarized.

If a client is upset, staff must apologize, take accountability, and get a manager immediately.

Key standards:

·         Deposits: tiered + applied to final price + non-refundable.

·         No-show definition and consequences.

·         Age + consent rules (including notarized consent).

·         Escalate upset clients to manager.

1-H — Late Arrival & Readiness Policy

At Salvation, on time means early. All staff must arrive at least 15 minutes early and be fully ready to work at the scheduled start time.

‘On time’ means clocked in, in dress code, prepared, and at the assigned position. Walking in at the scheduled start time is not acceptable.

Readiness rule: no food runs or leaving after arrival. If you come to work, you come to work. The shop and front desk must not be left uncovered.

Late includes clocking in after start, not being ready, leaving after arriving, or causing delays in opening/customer service.

Opening shifts are zero-tolerance: openers/shift leaders/managers must arrive early enough to guarantee the shop opens on time and the front desk is ready.

If late, staff must notify the manager/shift leader immediately, give an ETA, and use the approved method (shop phone call/text). No call/no message is treated more seriously.

Late/readiness issues are tracked with progressive discipline: 1st verbal warning, 2nd written warning, 3rd removal from schedule/suspension, 4th termination (management decision).

Apprentice hours only count when properly clocked in and working; repeated lateness can result in loss of hours, removal from shifts, and program discipline.

Leadership standard: managers/shift leaders must set the example; leadership must be reliable, present, and early.

1-I — Staff No-Show & Coverage Policy

A no-show is one of the most serious violations because it leaves the shop uncovered, disrupts clients, and forces other staff to carry the workload.

A no-show occurs when an employee does not report for their scheduled shift and does not properly notify management in advance. This includes arriving so late the shift is no longer usable or ignoring leadership contact attempts.

Proper notification requires contacting the manager/shift leader using the shop phone (call/text). Coworker messages or social media DMs do not count.

Coverage is the employee’s responsibility. The employee must find a qualified replacement and notify management. Coverage is not official until management approves it and it’s reflected in the schedule system.

No-show discipline: 1st no-show = final written warning + possible suspension; 2nd no-show = termination (management may escalate based on impact).

Opening shift no-shows may result in termination on the first offense due to business impact.

Apprentice no-shows may result in loss of hours, removal from shifts, probation, or removal from the program.

Management documents missed shifts, contact attempts, response time, coverage status, and corrective action.

1-J — Shift Scheduling, Time Off & Coverage Policy

Time off is approval-based, not notification-based. Requests must be submitted in advance and are not valid until management confirms approval.

Minimum planned time-off notice is 30 days. Late requests may be denied regardless of reason.

Blackout dates apply during high-volume periods (holidays, peak seasons, events, critical staffing). Requests may be denied during blackout dates, with limited exceptions at management discretion.

Time off approval is contingent on coverage. The employee must find qualified coverage, management must approve, and the change must be reflected in the scheduling system (Booker/Vagaro).

The shop may limit how many people per role can be off at the same time. Management sets these limits based on staffing, bookings, and opening/closing needs.

Role standards: managers/shift leaders are held to the highest standard for leadership coverage and opening/closing responsibilities; piercers coordinate time off with booked appointments; tattoo artists coordinate time off with booked clients and deposits; apprentices have weekly hour requirements.

Planned time off is different from calling out. Call-outs must follow the Call-Out Procedure and repeated call-outs may result in discipline.

Failure to follow scheduling and time-off rules may result in denial of future requests, discipline, removal from schedule, or termination depending on severity.

1-K — Apprentice Scheduling & Hour Requirements

Apprentices have contractual hour requirements. Missing scheduled training time reflects poorly on the contract and impacts progression.

Apprentice hours are weekly required (not cumulative). Time off does not remove weekly hour requirements.

Make-up hours are not automatic. Missed hours must be made up on approved days or progression will be delayed.

Apprentice hours are fixed per week unless otherwise agreed between manager and apprentice.

If hours are not completed, the contract time parameters may be extended and/or additional hours may be required to remain compliant.

1-L — Clock-In / Clock-Out & Break Policy

Clocking in/out is mandatory for all staff (employees, apprentices, shift leads, managers). No one is exempt.

Clock in immediately when you arrive and before doing any work (opening, cleaning, clients, counter, setup). No clock-in = not working.

Clock out before you leave, after closing duties are complete. Missing clock-out may result in zero hours recorded unless an approved correction is made.

All breaks must be clocked out and back in. If you are not working, you should not be clocked in.

Coverage rule: notify the shift lead before a break. No coverage = no break. The front desk must never be left unattended.

No excuses and no ‘fix it later.’ The time clock is the official record.

If a punch is missed: notify management the same day and request a correction before the next shift, including the time and reason. Corrections are not automatic and may be denied.

Clock violations are tracked with progressive discipline (warning, written warning, removal/suspension/termination).

Apprentice hours only count when clocked in/out properly and breaks are recorded.

1-M — Staff Call-Out Procedure

Call-outs impact coverage, client experience, opening/closing responsibilities, and apprentice hour verification.

You must call out if you are unable to work your scheduled shift due to illness/injury, emergencies, or unavoidable circumstances.

Notify leadership as early as possible: 4 hours notice preferred, 2 hours minimum.

You must contact the Manager on Duty or Shift Leader on Duty using the shop phone (call/text). Coworker-only notification or social media messages do not count.

Coverage is the employee’s responsibility. You must find a qualified replacement and management must approve it.

Failure to follow procedure may result in the call-out being treated as unexcused and may lead to discipline or removal from the schedule.

No-call/no-show is considered a no-show and may result in immediate discipline or termination.

1-N — Apprentice Track Selection & Department Participation (Ink Ladder)

Every apprentice starts with front desk fundamentals first so everyone understands how to operate, handle customers, and support the shop.

After foundational training is completed and approved, management assigns the apprentice to a track/department based on strengths, shop needs, and performance.

Tracks are part of the Ink Ladder system (e.g., Ink Runner, Inkfluencer, Needle Ninja, Gem Guardian, etc.).

Track assignment is used to determine what training tasks must be created for the apprentice inside Asana.

The goal is clarity: each apprentice knows what department they are in, what skills they must master, and what milestones they must hit to grow.

Key standards:

·         Front desk foundation first.

·         Management-approved track selection.

·         Track determines the apprentice’s training task list.

1-O — Apprentice Training Task List Template (Asana Setup)

Each apprentice must have their own training task list inside Asana.

The training task list must be pasted under the shop handbook’s Training section, inside ‘Staff Training List,’ then created as a subcategory/task under the apprentice’s name (one copy per apprentice).

All tasks must be completed, verified, and approved inside Asana. Manager approval is required before any milestone is considered complete.

Assign the overall training task to the designated Manager/Trainer. Individual subtasks may be assigned to the apprentice for completion.

Milestone due dates should be set based on the apprentice’s start date and include: 3-Month Review, 6-Month Review, 9-Month Review, and 12-Month Review (as applicable to the track).

Tracks may have different timelines (example: piercer is 12-month; Gem Guardian and Inkfluencer are 3-month), but the structure should still be clear and approval-based.

Key standards:

·         One training list per apprentice.

·         Training → Staff Training List → Apprentice Name.

·         Manager/trainer owns the master task; apprentice can be assigned subtasks.

·         Reviews scheduled by start date; approval required to advance.